Lounge chair



F. J. LUKETA LOUNGE CHAIR Feb. 24, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed July ll, 1949 m w n www Tm. EN www A mw A my M h mmv hv BVN VW MV NV M IMI@ www I Vl A ,MWVW NW llf I W www W M \\\w\\ w o M, fr# ,a xo www mw Bmw w. s Q M, f MV M l W F. J. LUKETA LOUNGE CHAIR Feb. 24, 1953 4 Sheets-.Sheet 2 Filed July 1l, 1949 FRANK J. LUKETA Lm X,

NN NNW INVENTOR. REYNO LDS BEACH ATTI NE'YS F. J. LUKETA LOUNGE CHAIR Feb. 24, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July l1, 1949 INVENTOR.

FRANK J. LUKETA Feb. 24, 1953 F. J. LUKx-:TA 2,629,423

LOUNGE CHAIR Filed July ll, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 64% 66 6s l 62 l 61 O il j e l! il i 60 6H,

F :F6151 G 612 'I c A I `c T1-g 1n 63 |64* IE 64h MEE Y 64b FEA/VK J. L11/ 5721' INVENTOR.

REYNOLDS BEACH g 11 rom/frs BYQM Patented Feb. 24, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOUNGE CHAIR Frank J'. Luketa, Seattle, Wash.

Applicato July 11, 1949, Serial N0. 103,987

11 Claims. 1

This invention concerns a lounge chair, similar in its general aspects to several inventions which are respectively the subject matter of various copending applications, in that two main body-supporting members, a seat `and a back, are supported upon a xed ilooreengagin-g frame for independent tilting movement between substantially horizontal and substantially upright po-` sitions, and two auxiliary or secondary body-'- supporting members, a leg rest and a head rest, are also supported for movement with respect to the seat and the back, respectively. Such movement of the leg rest relative to the seat, and or the head rest relative to the back, is at least movement of 'extension and retraction, and preferably in addition a movement which might be called a tilting movement transversely of the plane of the seat or the back, as `the case may be. The two movements oi the leg rest and the head rest, namely, projection and retraction on the one hand, and tilting on the other hand, are capable of accomplishment each independently of the other, and, to some degree, independently of the position of the main body-supporting ele-y ment, the seat or the back, with respect to which such auxiliary body-'supporting member is mounted and movablei Conversely, vthe seat and the back are each tiltable independently of the adjusted position of the leg rest or the head rest, within certain limitations. Power mceans arel provided to effect such movement in opposite senses', each independently of the other', and undercontrol of the occupant of the chair.Y In this particular application, similarlyto the structure shown in myv application, Serial Nd 98,511, filed June l1, 1949, a single power source, such as an electric motor', is mounted within one of the body-supporting elements or the' chair, and carries selective clutch or power' takieeoff mechanisms engageable with the power source,l and connected to transmit the .power from the single source to any one of the various powerdriven means to accomplish4 somev one type of mciv'ement.`

In distinction to application, Serial No'. 98,511., the present invention provides a specifically diiferent formv of take-on or selective power trans'-V mission mechanism.

Additionally, rand in distinction to all prior cases, theY present invention pivotally supports the seat and the back, which are deeply vupholstered, for movement about an intangible yaxiswhich is located at the juncture of the upholstered top surface of the seat and the upper or forward` surface of the back, it being an object in so doing to avoid disturb-ance of the clothes of the -chairs occupant as the chairs eompo-` nents are adjusted, to augment his comfort and avoid any possibility of his contacting hard pivot elements, and to simplify the construction at this point of the seat and back.l

Likewise, in distinction to other cases, the leg rest tilting axis, though iixed relative to the seat, and tangible, does not coincide with the tilting -aXis of the seat and back, but rather is oiset therefrom. It being tangible, there is effective transmission of forces from one side to the other of the leg rest supports, by reason of its rigidity, yet being submerged beneath the upholstery, it avoids any likelihood ofA contact with this rigid cross connection, and secures the full benet of the cushion eiect in the vicinity oi the tilting yaxis of the seat and back, and at the juncture between the upholstered surfaces of the two latter.l

In the presen-t invention, the tilting axis of the leg rest is carried by the seat, and conse quently oscillates about the seat-tilting axis from which it is offset, with the :possible result thaty a depressed leg Irest may contact the oor during down-tilting of the seat,v and it is an object to provide lost-motion means in the support of the leg rest from the seat, which willl permit sufficient yielding of the leg rest to' avoid damage in such an event.

The pivot supports for the seat and the back are coaxial, and as in my copending application, Serial No. 723,171, led January 20, 1947, now abandoned, are located wholly loutside the margin-s thereof, yetl each much be positively oscillated for tilting, independently of the other. Each must be capable oi being readily taken apart for servicing. Notwithstanding the load concentrated upon these outwardly directed pivot supports, they must be relatively short and simply constructed, to avoid undue bulk' in the side arms. The' attainment oi these ends is an object of this invention.`

Such lounge chairs are .articles of furniture which must be' in` harmony With other furnish;v ings', and such harmony is hardly attainable if there are unsightly open gaps admitting to in` ternal structure and mechanism, yet it is difiicult to avoid this in all degrees. Nevertheless, 1t is an object of this invention to provide a complemental structure, as between the seat and back in the region of their juncture, which is radially displaced from their common pivot axis,` which will house in all the open or mechanical parts in all relative positions of the seat and back, in a pleasing and unobtrustive manner.

Additional objects, particularly such as pertain to mechanical structures, will become evident as this specification progresses.

In the accompanying drawings the invention has been shown in a presently preferred form, and various supplemental mechanisms have been suggested, but now shown in detail, in view of the fact that their particular form is not considered a part of the present invention, and is in any event similar to corresponding structure in other cases of this series.

Figure 1 is in general a plan view of the chair with parts rather in reclining position, and with other parts broken away and shown in section for illustration of hidden details.

Figure 2 is in general a side elevational view with parts of the nearer side arm and back broken away to illustrate internal details.

' Figure 3 is a sectional view substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, illustrating a detail of the seat-tilting and back-tilting mechanism.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view along the tilting axis of the seat and back, substantially as indicated at 4 4 in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a broken-away isometric view of the interior of the seat and back, illustrating structural details of the same and of their pivot supports.

Figure 6 is an elevational view, largely in section, taken substantially along the line indicated at 6-6 in Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a partially exploded isometric view of the pivot support for the tilting of the leg rest.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 4, illustrating a modified form of pivot support for the seat and back.

Figure 9 is a side elevation, Figure 10 is an axial sectional view, and Figure 11 is a further elevational view, illustrating the power take-off mechanism.

The chair includes two main body-supporting members, being respectively the seat I and the back 2, each of which is tiltable about a common axis, but, unlike my copending applications, the pivot axis is not buried within or beneath the upholstery, but coincides with the juncture between the upper surface of the upholstery of the seat and the forward or upper surface of the upholstery of the back. The mechanism for accomplishing this will be described in detail hereinafter.

In addition, and in common with other cases in the series, the chair includes a leg rest 4 which is mounted for projection and retraction with respect to the swinging forward edge of the seat and for tilting, to give it up and down movement with respect to the same edge of the seat. Also, a head rest 5 is movable with respect to the back, at least for extension and retraction, and it could also be tiltable with respect to the back. 'I'he two auxiliary body-supporting elements, the leg rest 4 and the head rest 5, in such respects are similar to auxiliary body-supporting members and their relationship to their respective main body-supporting members in other cases of the series, but the mechanisms for supporting the several members and for accomplishing these movements are different in this chair.

One important reason for locating the pivot axis of the seat and back at least as high as the level of the line of juncture of their upper upholstered surfaces concerns the comfort of the occupant. In any chair wherein the seat and back are relatively tiltable about an axis submerged beneath that surface, downtilting of the seat or back, or both, tends to lengthen the distance from the point of support of the occupants hips to the point of support of his shoulders, yet that distance is actually unchanged in each individual. His upper garments, being in frictional contact with the back, would pull out at the waist, due to such lengthening tendency. Conversely, uptilting tended to shorten the distance, and to crowd his upper garments downwardly towards his waist, and thus to restrict his shoulders. The result was annoyance and discomfort, at least, and since comfort is the primary aim in a chair of this nature, whatever detracts therefrom is most objectionable. By locating the pivot axis of the seat and back close to coincidence with the hinges of the users hip joints, this lengthening and shortening tendency is practically eliminated, and the comfort afforded by the chair is materially increased.

The support for the chair as a whole, and in particular for the tiltable seat and back, consists of a main or floor-engaging frame 3 having front and rear feet 3|, and upright posts 32 at each side. Each post terminates at its upper end in a transversely directed sleeve 3D which journals within it a pin IE) which constitutes the pivot support of the seat I, and externally journals a sleeve 2] which is the pivot support for the back 2. The pin I0 is formed with a flange II (see Figure 4) which is secured to the frame of the seat I, and the sleeve 2D is formed with a ange 2| which is similarly secured to the frame of the back 2. The whole is secured together and encased by a hollow side arm 29 which is secured at 28 to the frame of the back and therefore tilts with the back. In addition to the sleeve 20, which is the journal support of the back, a sleeve I2 surrounds one end of the pivot sleeve 30, this being provided with a flange I3 (see Figure 5) overlying the end of the pivot sleeve 30 and notched complementally to notches in the pivot pin Ill, for reception of keys I3a in a disk I4 which is secured in the end of the pin I0. In this manner the keys I3a transmit oscillatory movement from the sleeve I2 to the pin I0 andl thence to the seat I.

The alternative pivotal support for the seat and back which is illustrated in Figure 8 includes the iianged sleeves Illa and 20a, corresponding to sleeves I0 and 20 respectively, but the two-part sleeve Illa is directly journaled in the pivot sleeve 30a, and itself constitutes the journal for the sleeve 20a. The sleeve Illa is formed in two torque-transmitting parts for simplicity of assembly, and the Whole is held together by a bolt Illa. The bridge-like element 33 is merely an outboard extension of the post 32, for better support of the bolt I4a and the pivot sleeves rockable thereabout.

The pivot structure of my abandoned application, Serial No. 723,171 is not located relative to the usable plane of the seat and back as is herein disclosed, but in that case the pivot sup-v ports are disposed Wholly outside the margins of the seat and back, as is necessary in order to achieve the advantages of this invention to the full. The pivot structure of that application suitably relocated relative to the usable planes and their juncture, might serve in this chair.

Whichever type of support is employed, it is duplicated at opposite sides of the chair, and the pivot axis thus defined is located in all forms quite closely to the junction between the upholstered upper surfaces of the seat and back respectively, so that there is no appreciable crack between them, no lengthening or shortening relative to the person of the occupant, and no structure extending between the two sides of the seat and back, to interfere with his comfort.

It is preferred that the upholstery stop short at this point of juncture, to support which cross bars I and 25 are provided as parts of the frame of the seat and back respectively.

In this chair the preferred power source for effecting movement of the various members of the chair is a single motor M of adequate capacity connected in much the manner indicated in my companion case, Serial No. 98,511, led June 11, 1949. It is shown as mounted in the seat itself. The details of the construction of the power source and selective power take-off mechanism Will be described hereinafter, but presently it is sufficient to indicate that the power for tilting the seat I is derived from a flexible shaft 6I, the end of which is swiveled at It upon the post 32, which rotates a jackscrew ISIa journaled within a nut I'I pivotally mounted in the swinging end of an arm I8 which is fast to the sleeve I2, in the form shown in most of the ngures, or fast to one end of two-part sleeve Ia in the form of Figure 8. Movement of the nut Il in and out along the jackscrew Ia, depending on the sense of rotation of the latter, tilts the seatil down or up through the connections already described from the sleeve I2 to the seat. In similar fashion, a eXible drive shaft E2 rotates a jackscrew 62a, reacting from the post, within a nut 2l pivotally carried by an arm 2S which is fast to the sleeve 2i] or 20a.

It is preferred that this actuating mechanism also be duplicated at opposite sides of the seat, whereby the seat and back will be tilted evenly and without racking or other stress, and without sagging at one side or the other. This is particularly desirable in view of the fact that there is no direct connection between the two trunnions, those at the opposite sides, whereby the seat and back are pivotally mounted.

The leg rest 4 is carried upon telescoping arms 4I, 42 for in and out or retractive and extensive movement, the extending andyretracting being accomplished by drive mechanism indicated at Gla, but not shown in detail. In the main, it is housed within the tubular arm 4I. This arm 4I is pivotally mounted by means of the sleeve 40, to which the sleeve 4I is pinned or otherwise xedly secured, and which is pivotally mounted in the frame of the seat I offset to the rear of and somewhat below the pivot axis of the seat itself. A lever arm `43 formed with a sleeve 44 at its upper end which fits upon a transverse stub 45 projecting from the sleeve 4I, and a radial pin `45 in this stub enters a circumferentially elongated slot 4l in the sleeve 44. A jackscrew 64C rotated by a exible shaft 64b, the end whereof is swiveled in the frame of the seat I at 64d, is threaded within a nut 48 which is pivotally mounted in the swinging end of the arm 43, and by these means the leg rest 4 may be tilted about its tube 40 as a pivot. Its tilting movement is independent of its retractive or projective movement, and vice versa. The tube 40 being located well below the surface of the upholstery offers no likelihood of being contacted by the user, and does not detract from the comfort of the chair.

Since it was necessary to extend the frame of the chair rearwardly of the rear end of its up holstery, in order to support the tube 40, it ls desirable to recess the frame of the back to accommodate the same when the two lie more nearly in coplanar relationship. Such a recess is shown at 22. Likewise a curved apron 24 ex-` tends downwardly to overlap a similar apron I9 of the seat to house in the mechanism and to prevent it from detracting from the appearance of the chair, and to minimize the entrance of dust and the like. These cooperating aprons I9 and 24 are curved about the pivot axis of the seat and back.

It will be noted that the crossbars I5 and A25 are bent near their ends so that their center portions drop downwardly. This offset adjacent their ends affords room for the leg rest supporting arms 4I to swing upwardly without inter'- ference, while still dropping the greater part of the length of these crossbars to a level where they will properly support the upholstery, as is best seen in Figure 5.

The head rest 5 is supported by arms 5I slidably received within a guide 52 .and may be considered as fixed within the frame of the back 2. The head rest 5 is projectable and retractable by means (not shown) which are driven from the power take-off 65 The mechanism to this end is no essential part of the present invention, therefore has been omitted. Likewise, the head rest may be tiltable with respect to its supporting arms 5I, 'but this, too, has been omitted for simplicity of illustration.

The power source is indicated as an electric motor M mounted within the frame of the seat I. Its arbor bears bevel gear 6 which meshes with opposite double gears 6@ carried in the frame F, by means of which two driving clutch elements 63 are driven. These rotate in opposite senses, and the sense of drive of the individual chair members is dependent upon which of the driving clutch elements 63 is engaged with the power take-off for the particular chair member. By engaging a driven clutch elements SIe with the exterior of the driving clutch 63, the shaft 6I which elevates or lowers the seat I is energized in one sense or the other, depending upon which solenoid E If is energized. Springs Slg return the two driven clutch elements 6Ie to neutral position upon the deenergization of the two solenoid's.

Similar arrangements control the energization of the other power take-oifs. Engagement of the driven clutch elements 62e, 64e and 65e with the exterior of the driving clutch elements 63, effects rotation in the corresponding sense of the shafts 6I, 64a and 85. In much the same :fashion axial shifting of the shaft 66, to which are pinned the driven clutch elements 64f, effects engagement of the latter with the interior of the driving clutch elements 63, through which the shaft 65 extends. Such movement is controlled by energization of one or the other of the solenoids 64g against the centering springs Mh, and such engagement of one or the other of the clutch elements 64j rotates the shaft 64b in one sense or the other.

It will be noted particularly from Figure 1 that the drive for effecting projection and retraction of the head rest, for effecting tilting of the seat and of the back, and for effecting projection and retraction of the leg rest, is duplicated at the two sides of the chair. The mechanism for effecting tilting of the leg rest is not so duplicated, though it could be, but it need not be owing to the fact that the torque tube 40 trans-V mits the torque evenly and directly from one side to the other of the leg rest.

. I claim as my invention:

l. A chair comprising a cushioned seat, a cushioned back, a frame, means pivotally supporting each of the seat and back from the frame for tilting about a transverse axis substantially coinciding with the rear edge of the seat cushions upper surface and the lower edge of the back cushions forward surface, said means including a hollow trunnion projecting from both sides of one of the seat or back, and a trunnion coaxial with each hollow trunnion and projecting from both sides of the other, all for journaling upon the frame, individual power-driven means reacting between the frame and the respective trunnions, and selectively energizable for oscillating the latter for tilting of the seat or back, each independently of the other, and a hollow side arm at each side, carried by and tiltable with one of the seat and back, and housing the trunnions and the power-driven means, and slotted for passage of frame members.

2. A chair as in claim 1, including a single power source mounted upon one of the tiltable members, and individual drive connections between said power source and each of the individual power-driven means housed within the side arms.

, 3. A chair as in claim 1, wherein each frame includes a support at each side upstanding within the hollow side arm, a, pivot sleeve disposed in the tilting axis of the seat and back and carried by each of said supports, a sleeve journaled about said pivot sleeve and a pin journaled therein, the latter sleeve and the pin being secured, one to the seat and the other to the back, an arm projecting radially from the externally journaled sleeve for engagement by the power-driven means, a sleeved arm also for engagement by the powerdriven means and also journaled about the pivot sleeve, and a torque-transmitting element interconnecting said sleeved arm and said pin.

4. A chair as in claim 1, wherein each frame includes a support at each side upstanding within the hollow side arm, a pivot sleeve disposed in the tilting axis of the seat and back and carried by each of said supports, a two-part pin, the two parts whereof are interconnected for transmission of torque, journaled within said pivot sleeve, a sleeve journaled about said pivot sleeve, the sojournaled sleeve and one part of the pin bein-g secured, one to the seat and one to the back, an arm secured to and projecting radially from the other part of said pin, for engagement by the power-driven means, and a second arm projecting radially from the externally journaled sleeve, also for engagement by the power-driven means.

5. A chair comprising a deep-cushioned seat, a deep-cushioned back, a frame, means located outside the body-supporting area of the seat and back for pivotally supporting each of the latter from the frame, for tilting about a common transverse axis which substantially coincides with the rear edge of the seat cushions upper surface and with the lower edge of the back cushions forward surface, individual power-driven means reacting between the frame and the seat and the back, respectively, for tilting of each of the latter, a leg rest, arms supporting the same, and pivoted for tilting upon the seat, about an axis adjacent, but offset from the seats and backs tilting axis, and power-driven means reacting between the seat and said leg rest supporting arms, so to tilt the latter, said power-driven means for each of the seat, back, and leg rest including a single power" source mounted upon one of the seat or back, and selective transmission means extending thence to each of the individual power-driven means.

6. A chair -comprising a deep-cushioned seat, a deep-cushioned back, a frame, means located outside the body-supporting area of the seat and back for pivotally supporting each of the latter from the frame for tilting about a common transverse axis which substantially coincides with the rear edge of the seat cushions upper surface and with the lower edge of the back cushions forward surface, individual power-driven means reacting between the frame and the seat and the back, respectively, for tilting of each of the latter, a leg rest, arms supporting the same, and pivoted for tilting upon the seat, about an axis offset from the seats and backs tilting axis, the side marginal frame of the seat being extended rearwardly to support the same, and the side marginal frame of the back Ibeing recessed to accommodate the same when both seat and back lie in generally horizontal position, side arms mounted upon and tiltable with one or the other of the seat and back, housing in the backs recesses in all relative positions of seat and back, and power-driven means reacting between the seat and said leg rest supporting arm, so to tilt the latter.

7. A chair comprising a frame including spaced front and rear feet and upright posts at each side, a deep-cushioned seat and a deep-cushioned back each tiltable about a common transverse axis disposed lat the juncture of their upper cushion surfaces, coaxial pivot means projecting laterally from each of the seat and back, and carried by the upright posts, for tilting support or" the seat and 'back from the frame, a pair of hollow side arms mounted upon and for tilting with the back, and slotted for reception of the respective upright posts, power-driven means within each arm, reacting between the post and the seat and the back, respectively, for tilting each of the latter, a rear cover on each of the seat and the back, curved concentrically about the tilting axis, and of relative lengths to overlap in all relative tilted positions of the seat and back, and a power source and selective clutch mechanism carried by one of the seat or back, operatively connected to said power-driven means.

8. A chair as in claim 7, including a leg rest, arms at each side supporting the same, and mounted upon the seat for tilting about an axis to the rear of the seats tilting axis, the seat .being extended rearwardly for such tilting support, and the back being complementally recessed at its sides, and power-driven means, operatively connected to the power source, within and reacting from the seat, and to said arms, for tilting said leg rest.

9. A chair comprising a cushioned seat, a cushioned back, each of the seat and back including a rigid mar-ginal frame of material depth, and including a cover for the reverse surface of each such marginal frame, a frame for the support of the chair, means pivotally supporting each of the seat and back from said supporting frame for tilting about a transverse axis substantially coinciding with the rear edge of the seat cushions upper surface and the lower edge of the 'back cushions forward surface, said pivotally supporting means including a hollow trunnion projecting from both sides of one of the seat or back, and a trunnion coaxial with each hollow trunnion and projecting from both sides of the other, all for journaling upon the frame, the two covers and the marginal frames of the seat and back being curved about the tilting axis as a center, with the covers in overlapping relation, and individual power-driven means reacting between the frame and the respective trunnions, and selectively energizable for oscillating the latter for tilting of the seat or the back, each independently of the other.

10. A chair comprising a frame, a seat supported thereon for tilting about a transverse axis in the vicinity of the seats rear edge, a leg rest, arms supporting said leg rest and pivotally supported upon the seat for tilting about a transverse axis offset from the seats tilting axis, means to project and retract the leg rest relative to the seat, power-driven means reacting between the seat and the frame to tilt the seat, powerdriven means reacting between the seat and the leg rest supporting arms to tilt the leg rest, and lost-motion means Ibetween the arms and the seat, to permit downward tilting of the seat beyond the point where the leg rest engages the floor.

11. A lounge chair comprising a, oor-engaging frame, two main body-supporting members, a seat and a back, respectively, a trunnion xed to and projecting at each side of one such member, a sleeve journaled about each trunnion and fixed to the other such member, the trunnions and sleeves being tiltably supported from said frame to define the tilting axis of the seat and back, located adjacent the seats rear edge, a power source energizable to effect tilting of either the seat or the back at Will, and transmission means independent of said members positively connecting said power Source to each of the trunnions and to each of the sleeves, to equalize the tilting forces applied to each of the seat and back.

FRANK J. LUKETA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 165,932 Johnsen July 27, 1865 513,169 Armstrong Jan. 23, 1894 1,173,675 Matsui Feb. 29, 1916 1,182,125 Whitehead May 9, 1916 1,427,292 Hogan Aug. 29, 1922 1,586,740 Heck June 1, 1926 2,133,471 Opperman Oct. 18, 1938 

